Apparatus for producing helically formed filaments

ABSTRACT

Helical, wire filaments are disclosed that may be encapsulated individually or nested in bundles that are themselves encapsulated within an elastomeric material to provide a reinforced fabric. The method and apparatus by which such filaments are formed pass straight wire, in individual or plural strands, through a bore in a movable working die. Each strand is cold worked around the flared orifice of the bore in the movable die and enters a corresponding bore in a fixed die means. The corresponding bores are eccentric, and the movable die plate is translated such that each bore therein describes an annular path concentrically outwardly of the corresponding bore in the fixed die means. The foregoing apparatus and method are particularly adapted to the manufacture of reinforced, elastomeric fabric, even to the point that, if desired, normally plated wire can be deplated prior to being encapsulated within the elastomer.

United States Patent Alderler Oct. 24, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGHELICALLY FORMED FILAMENTS [72] Inventor: Sterling W. Alderfer, Akron,Ohio [73] Assignee: The Steelastic Company, Akron,

Ohio

[22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 104,602

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 334,450 1/1886 Mason..16l/47 Primary Examiner-William A. Powell Assistant Examiner--James.1. Bell Att0meyI-lamilton, Renner & Kenner 8 ll. M

[57] ABSTRACT Helical, wire filaments are disclosed that may beencapsulated individually or nested in bundles that are themselvesencapsulated within an elastomeric material to provide a reinforcedfabric. The method and apparatus by which such filaments are formed passstraight wire, in individual or plural strands, through a bore in amovable working die. Each strand is cold worked around the flaredorifice of the bore in the movable die and enters a corresponding borein a fixed die means. The corresponding bores are eccentric, and themovable die plate is translated such that each bore therein describes anannular path concentrically outwardly of the corresponding bore in thefixed die means. The foregoing apparatus and method are particularlyadapted to the manufacture of reinforced, elastomeric fabric, even tothe point that, if desired, normally plated wire can be deplated priorto being encapsulated within the elastomer.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures VIIIIIII'A INVENTOR.

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STERLING W. ALDERFER F 6 BY W, ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGHELICALLY FORMED FILAMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is generallyagreed that the most desirable charac- 5 teristics for a reinforcingmaterial to be used with elastomeric fabric and mechanical rubberproducts such as tires and conveyor belts are: high tensile strength,low elongation, dimensional stability, high temperature resistance andabsence of thermal shrinkage. The only material that possesses all theforegoing physical properties and yet is neither beleaguered bycompression stresses nor has a yield point uncomfortably close to itsultimate strength (as does glass 1 fiber reinforcing is steel wire.

It has long been deemed necessary to weave, or twist, multiple wirefilaments into cables in order to achieve even minimally acceptableflexibility of the fabric reinforced thereby without fatiguing the wirethrough constant bending. This cabling of the wire has also been deemednecessary to permit the controlled degree of elastic elongationdesirable to avoid straining the wire beyond its elastic limit as thetire within which it is incorporated engages irregularities in theroadway over which it travels.

Unfortunately, the cabling of wire adds an inordinate cost to the use ofsteel wire reinforcing in elastomeric fabric and has, at least to somedegree, diminished the measure of flexibility associated withcomfortable ride characteristics. In an effort to alleviate this expenseand soften the ride, the prior art includes at least one attempt toemploy a single wire strand within a circumferential breaker beltinterposed between the carcass and the tread. According to this priorart teaching the wire was oriented substantially circumferentially ofthe tire and was crimped to provide sinuous undulations along the lengththereof so as to be capable of at least partial straightening out toprovide an increase in the circumferential dimension of the belt duringshaping and curing of the tire, and, if desired, a further modicum ofelasticity to the cured tire without cabling. However, if the wire iscompletely straightened, the elastic limit may be too easily exceeded,and if the wire is not completely straightened, repeatedly extending thecircumferential dimension of the wire by flexure of the undulationsresults in repeated bending stresses along the circumference that tendto fatigue the wire and induce premature failure. In addition, thecrimped wire reinforcing was highly subject to flexural fatigue inducedby bending stresses, oriented transversely of the wire convolutions(i.e., radially) largely because the undulations, at any given pointalong any given undulation, lay in a plane oriented tangentially to theconvolution. Moreover, these bending stresses are not readilydissipated, because the crimped reinforcing filament was woundcontinuously through a plurality of convolutions about the circumferenceof the tire and therefore at no more than a small angle to a radialreference plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the tire.

With this background an uncabled wire reinforcing filament was developedthat possesses a configuration by which desirable flexibility withoutpremature failure can be achieved and at the same time does not detractfrom the physical attributes appreciated as being afforded by wire. Thehelical configuration of this reinforcing filament thereby accommodatingthe stresses to which it is subjected partially by torsion and partiallyby bending and the apparatus by which wire may be so formed are clearlydisclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 858, filed on Jan. 6,1970.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, a primary object of thepresent invention to provide an improved apparatus for forming wire intofabric reinforcing filaments the helical path of which possess uniformlyprecise diameter and lead.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedapparatus, as above, that may readily be incorporated as one componentof a system for making reinforced elastomeric fabric.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus,as above, for forming bundles of two or more helical filaments that arenested, but not cabled, in order that each filament in a bundle mayelongate when subjected to tensile forces without restrictively engagingthe other filaments in the bundle.

It is a still further objectof the present invention to provide a methodfor helically forming reinforcing filaments, as above, and forincorporating said reinforcing filaments into elastomeric fabric.

It is an even further object of the present invention to provide anelastomeric fabric reinforced by bundles of nested, helical filaments.

These and other objects, together with the advantages thereof overexisting and prior art forms which will become apparent from thefollowing specification, are accomplished by means hereinafter describedand claimed.

In general, reinforcing filaments according to the concept of thepresent invention delineate a helix. Such filaments may be individuallyencapsulated within an elastomeric material to reinforce the resultingfabric, or a plurality of such helical filaments may be looselyjuxtaposed to form bundles of nested individual filaments, the bundlesthemselves being encapsulated within an elastomeric material. Theemployment of bundles not only accomplishes an increase in the effectivecross section of the reinforcing material for a given section of fabricbut also does so by the use of individual filaments of sufficientlysmall cross section to avoid the fatigue and heat retention incident tosingle reinforcing filaments of comparable cross section.

Bundles of individual helical wires thus afford the positive benefitsheretofore associated with cabled wire, and, in addition, permit a muchgreater degree of elasticity axially of the bundle, because theindividual filaments are not cabled and can, therefore, separatelyextend as a function of a reduction in the diameter of the helix and acorrelative extention in the pitch of the helix without restrictiveengagement between any of the filaments in the bundle, as is thesituation with cabled strands.

lndividual filaments, or bundles of individual filaments, are helicallyformed with great facility by passing straight wire through a bore andflared orifice in a working die plate, working the wire by bending it atthe orifice to pass through a corresponding bore in a fixed die meanslocated eccentrically of the bore in the working die plate andtranslating the working die plate such that the bore therein describesan annular locus of points concentrically outwardly of the correspondingbore in the fixed die means.

Selection of: the degree of eccentricity between the corresponding boresin the working die plate and the fixed die means; the rate at which theworking die plate is translated; and, the rate at which the wire travelsbetween the aforesaid bores will determine the diameter and pitch of thehelix formed by the wire.

The helical filaments, individually or in bundles, are then encapsulatedwithin an elastomeric material to provide a reinforced fabricparticularly suited, for example, to be used as tire plies. For such usehigh carbon steel wire is generally preferred, and while such wire isalmost uniformly plated with a corrosion resistant metal, such platingmay not be needed to enhance the adhesion between the wire and theelastomeric material in which the wire is encapsulated. Accordingly, thewire may be electrolytically deplated before being incorporated withinthe fabric.

A preferred embodiment of the helical reinforcing filament and twoalternative bundles of such filaments are shown, together with thepreferred apparatus by which such embodiments can be formed according tothe article, apparatus and method concepts of the subject invention, byway of example in the accompanying drawings and are described in detailwithout attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications inwhich the invention might be embodied; the invention being measured bythe appended claims and not the details of the specification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic, side elevation of asystem for making reinforced fabric of the type employed in tires, saidsystem including apparatus for forming straight wire into reinforcingfilaments of helical disposition;

FIG. 2 is enlarged section taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 anddepicting the movable, working die plates and the cross beams on whichthey are mounted in frontal elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but taken substantially on line 33 ofFIG. 1 and depicting the fixed die plate in frontal elevation with themovable, working die plates therebehind, one of which is partly brokenaway;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged frontal elevation of the guide block takensubstantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan of the helically formed filaments passingthrough the guide block (partially broken away) and onto an elastomericstrip just prior to the time it enters the bight of the rolls by whichthe filaments are sandwiched between elastomeric strips;

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged area of FIG. 5 depicting two helicallyformed filaments in nested juxtaposition;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross section, appearing on the same sheet ofdrawings as FIG. 1, taken through a forming orifice in one of themovable working die plates and a corresponding bore in the fixed dieplate which depicts the disposition of a wire filament being formed asit passes therebetween; and,

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross section, appearing on the same sheet ofdrawings as FIGS. 1 and 7, taken substantially on line 88 of FIG. 1 anddepicting typical disposition of helically formed wire reinforcingfilaments as they may be employed in a fabric, the nature of thedispositions depicted conforming to the dispositions progressivelyrepresented along line 8-8 of FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly tothe drawings, the apparatus designated generally by the numeral 10 isparticularly suited for making reinforced elastomeric fabrics of thetype used in tire plies and belting. The form of the apparatus 10depicted produces a ribbon ll of fabric by sandwiching a plurality ofhelically formed wire filaments 12 between two strips 13 and 14 of anelastomeric material such as rubber.

Upper guide and pressure rolls 15 and 16, respectively, are disposed insuitable opposition to lower guide and pressure rolls 18 and 19,respectively, to sandwich and embed the filaments 12 into the opposedstrips 13 and 14 and thereby produce the ribbon 11. The filaments 12could, however, as well be encapsulated within the elastomeric body ofthe ribbon by feeding the filaments emanating from the filament forming,or working, mechanism 20 into an extruder head, not shown. By eitherapproach the resulting ribbon of fabric can be incorporated in tireplies, for example, according to the concept taught in my aforesaid U.S.application, Ser. No. 858.

The forming mechanism 20 embodies a unique concept and constitutes animprovement over the twisting mechanism disclosed by the aforesaidcopending application. As best shown in FIG. 1, the forming mechanism ismounted on a base 21. A pair of laterally spaced, support housings 22and 23 (FIG. 2) extend upwardly from the base 21. A pair of parallelspindles 24 and 25 are journaled in housing 22, and a corresponding pairof parallel spindles 28 and 29 are journaled in housing 23. In order toeffect rotation of the spindles 24 and 25 in opposite direction they areinterconnected by a gear means within the housing 22. As shown, a spurgear 30 secured to spindle 24 may be meshingly engaged with a spur gear31 secured to spindle 25. The spindles 28 and 29 are also preferablyinterconnected by a gear train to effect opposite rotation and tobalance the transmission of the rotational force supplied to the spindle28 by the belt 32-that passes between the pulley 33 secured to spindle28 and a pulley 34 secured to a drive shaft 35.

Individual adjusting heads 36 are secured to the end of each spindle 24,25, 28 and 29. The adjusting heads 36 are each provided with a T-slot 37that extends transversely of the parallel axes 38, 39, 40 and 41 aboutwhich the respective spindles rotate. For a purpose more fullyhereinafter explained, the T-slots 37 in the adjusting heads 36 securedto spindles 24 and 28 are oriented to remain parallel during rotation ofthose spindles; similarly, the T-slots 37 in the adjusting heads 36secured to spindles 25 and 29 are also oriented to remain parallel.

A key 42 is slidably received within the T-slot 37 of each adjustinghead 36 to permit selection of the eccentricity at which a stud 43secured to each key 42 is presented with respect to the rotational axisof the spindle upon which the head 36 carrying that stud 43 is rotated.After the key 42 is positioned in its selected location it is maintainedagainst further sliding within the T-slot 37 by one or more lockingmeans such as the socket head screws 44.

An upper cross beam 45 is carried on the eccentric studs 43 rotated byspindles 24 and 28, and a lower cross beam 46 is carried on theeccentric studs 43 rotated by spindles 25 and 29. Suitable bearings 48,secured to the cross beams, are interposed between each eccentric stud43 and the respective cross beams 45 and 46. The distance between thebearings 48 on each cross beam exactly equals the span between therotational axes of the spindles operatively connected to that cross beamby way of the adjusting heads 36 and studs 43. Thus, as the spindlesrotate, the locus of points delineated by any point on the cross beamsdescribes a circle having a radius equal to the eccentricity of thestuds 43 on which that cross beam is carried with respect to therotational axis of the spindles to which those studs are operativelyconnected.

A first, working die plate 49 is affixed to the upper cross beam 45 tobe movable therewith, and a similar second, working die plate 50 isaffixed to the lower cross beam 46 to be movable therewith. Each movabledie plate is penetrated by a plurality of bores 51, each of which flareinto a forming orifice 52 on what shall be identified as the downstreamside of the bore 51 by reference to the direction in which the wiremoves through the bore 51 to be formed, as is hereinafter morefullydescribed.

The two, movable die plates 49 and 50 preferably translate in a commonplane parallel to, and spaced from, the plane of a selectivelylocatable, fixed die plate 53. The fixed die plate is penetrated by aplurality of bores 54 preferably equivalent in number to the combinednumber of bores 51 in the two, movable die plates 49 and 50. In order toinsure uniformity in the degree to which each wire is helically formedby the mechanism 20, it is important that the geometric orientation ofthe bores through the two movable die plates 49 and 50 conform to theorientation of the corresponding bores 54 through the fixed die plate53, and, in fact, be oriented such that upon translation of the twomovable die plates 49 and 50, the bores 51 in each of said movable dieplates will describe an annular path concentrically outwardly of thecorresponding bore 54 in the fixed die plate 53 the radius of theannular path being equal to the eccentricity preestablished by selectivelocation of the keys 42 along their respective T-slots 37. When multiplebores are employed through each movable die plate, conformity in thegeometric orientation of the bores in the movable die plate with thecorresponding bores in the fixed die means can only be achieved if theT-slots associated with the individual cross beams are parallel, asdescribed above.

Selectively locating the fixed die plate 53 is accomplished bysupporting the die plate 53 on a tail stock 55 secured to a carriagemember 56 slidably received on the base 21 and selectively positionableby a locking nut 58 to control the spacial separation of the fixed dieplate 53 with respect to the two, movable, working die plates 49 and 50.

Straight wire is pulled through each of the bores 51 extending throughthe working die plates 49 and 50 and engages the curvature of the flaredforming orifice 52 associated with each bore 51 in a rather tight bendto pass through the corresponding bore 54 in the fixed die plate 53. Thebend of the wire around the flared orifice 52 forms, or works, the wire,and, because the working plate is translated as the wire moves axiallythrough the working plate, the wire is formed into a helicalconfiguration. By varying the eccentricity of the corresponding bores 51and 54, the speed at which the working die plates are translated withrespect to the fixed die plates and the speed at which the wiretraverses the two bores, one can precisely control the dimensions(diameter and pitch) of the helix formed in the filament passing throughthe twisting mechanism 20. Because the wire is cold worked in theabove-described manner, the wire will assume a helical set elasticallyopposing any change in its helical dimensions.

By flaring the orifice 52 around which the wire passes as it leaves bore51 and by similarly flaring the orifice 59 around which the wire passesas it enters bore 54, even though the wire will be worked the exteriorsurface of the wire will not be nicked or otherwise abraded.

Precise spacial separation of the fixed die plate 53 and the two movableforming die plates 49 and 50 in conjunction with the degree to which thewire is helically coiled prevents any unnecessary or undesirable workingof the wires as it passes around the flared orifice 59 at the mouth ofbore 54. As depicted in FIG. 7, the separation of the fixed plate fromthe movable plate is preferably equal to one and one-half times the leadof the helix. In that way the helix will screw past the orifice 59 ofbore 54 without permanently deforming the helix previously formed orotherwise unnecessarily working the wire.

Translation of the working die plates 49 and 50 in opposite directionsform helices of one hand through die plate 49 and of the opposite handthrough die plate 50. Filaments of opposite hand may, as disclosed in mycopeneding application, SEr. No. 858, be suitably alternated tostabilize the nerve between filaments of opposite hand and therebyprovide a more pliable fabric.

As shown on the left-hand portion of FIG. 5, the filaments 12A, 12B,12C, etc., are individually twisted into their helical configuration andare passed through individual apertures 60 in a guide block 61 locatedin proximity to the bight 62 formed as the two elastomeric strips 13 and14 are brought into juxtaposition. By this arrangement the adjacentfilaments will be laterally spaced as they enter the bight 62 forembedment between the two strips 13 and 14 so that they may well be ofopposite hand. Specifically, the filaments 12A, 12C, etc., could beformed through the action of the upper, moving die plate 49 and passedthrough adjacent apertures 60A, 60C, etc., located in the upper row 63of apertures, as depicted on FIG. 4. At the same time, filaments 12B,12D, etc., could be twisted through the action of the lower, moving dieplate 50 and passed through adjacent apertures 60B, 60D, etc., in thelower row 64 of apertures.

As represented in the middle portion of FIG. 5, the adjacent filamentsneed not be laterally spaced but may be nested in bundles 65 of, forexample, two filaments 112A, 1123, 112C and 112D, etc. It must beappreciated that according to this arrangement the contiguous filamentsin each bundle are not cabled together but merely interfit in nestedjuxtaposition. The filaments of each bundle may be individually formedand then nested, or, if desired, the filaments of each bundle may besimultaneously formed into their helical configuration through the samebore in the working die plate. The only restriction is that thefilaments in each bundle must be of the same hand. For example, toutilize two-filament bundles, a pair of wires may be passed through eachbore 51 of the first working die plate 49 and the corresponding bore 54in the die plate 53 to form filaments 112A and 1123, 112E and 1121 etc.of one hand nested as bundle 65A, 65C, etc. At the same time a pair ofwires would be passed through each bore 51 in the second, working dieplate 50 and the corresponding bore 54 in the fixed die plate 53 to formfilaments 112C and 112D, 1126 and 112I-I, etc., of the opposite handnested as bundles 65B, 65D, etc. By alternating bundles 65A, 65C, etc.,of a common hand with bundles 65B, 65D, etc. of opposite hand, the nerveis stabilized to assure the desired pliability of the fabric in whichthe bundles are incorporated.

Specifically, the bundles 65A, 65C, etc. may be formed by the action ofthe first, moving die plate 49 and passed through the consecutiveapertures 160A, 160C, etc. in the upper row 63 of apertures, whereas,the bundles 65B, 65D, etc., may be formed by the action of the second,moving die plate 50 and passed through the consecutive apertures 160B,160D, etc., in the lower row 64 of apertures.

When the filaments are to be bundled, they may be individually, orsimultaneously, formed, and even when simultaneously formed thefilaments in each bundle are not cabled or otherwise wound together bythe action of the forming mechanism 20. Thus, if the filaments 1 12comprising each bundle are parallel and distinct as they enter theforming mechanism 20, they will exit parallel and distinct, although,after they are helically formed, the parallel and distinct dispositionis more lucidly described as being a bundle in which the individualfilaments lie in nested juxtaposition.

It may also be desired to form successively adjacent three-filamentbundles 165 (or bundles of even a greater number of filaments) ofopposite hand. As described above in conjunction with the formation oftwo-filament bundles, this disposition of the bundles may well beaccomplished by forming successive bundles alternately through dieplates 49 and 40.

It should be appreciated that by affording the opportunity to chooseeither bundles of nested filaments or individual filaments, aconsiderably wider latitude is afforded for selecting both theflexibility and the load carrying capabilities in a given section offabric. Specifically, the modulous of elasticity and the tensilestrength can be regulated by proper selection not only of the diameterof the filaments and the particular material from which they are madebut also of the dimensions for the helix into which the filaments areformed and the disposition of the filaments, individually or in bundles,within the fabric.

For example, by nesting the filaments the effective cross section of thereinforcing material can be compounded, or, by selection of the numberof filaments to be nested relative to the cross section of thosefilaments, relatively large effective cross sectional equivalence can beachieved with filaments of smaller individual cross section that areindividually more flexible and definitely more resistant to flexuralfatigue.

Inasmuch as even the nested filaments comprising a bundle are relativelyloosely associated, the elastomer' ic material in which the filamentsare encapsulated can penetrate between and around the filaments toimprove the mechanical bond therebetween. Most important, theexceptional elasticity afiorded by bundling, as distinguished fromcabling, affords greater flexibility, increased elasticity, greaterfatigue resistance and improved cut resistance to the multi-filamentreinforcing arrangement.

Particularly when the fabric 11 is to be employed in tire plies theadhesion between the filaments and the elastomeric material of thefabric is quite important. With the helical configuration imparted tothe filaments by the forming mechanism 20, an excellent mechanical bondis achieved. In addition, of course, it is desirable to assure the bestpossible chemical adhesion between the filaments and the elastomericmaterial. According to the present state of the art it is almost auniversal practice to coat wire reinforcing material intended forembedment in an elastomeric body. This practice originated in the tireindustry because the historically poor quality of the rubber compoundreadily permitted access of moisture to the wire. As such, the coatingswere primarily intended to preclude corrosion, although a number ofcoatings notably tin and zinc afforded such poor adhesion for rubberthat their usage was foregone in favor of protective coatings that alsopossessed good adhesion characteristics. Because rubber adheres best tocopper and its alloys, brass and bronze, and because those materials arecorrosion resistant, they have been almost universally adopted as theaccepted finish for wire reinforcing in the tire industry.

The applicant has found that modern day rubber compounds are generallyof such high quality that they do prevent the migration of moisture tothe wire and do adhere quite well to bare steel wire if the surface ofthe wire is clean and dry. Thus, the metallic coating traditionallyapplied to steel reinforcing wire for tires may well be salvaged,particularly if the forming mechanism 20 is efficiently utilized.

Specifically, the straight wire that one would generally acquire for useas a tirereinforcement is normally plated with one of theafore-described metallic coatings, if for no other purpose than toprotect the wire against corrosion between the time it is drawn and thetime it is incorporated in a tire. Additionally, of course, theseprotective coatings are often applied before the wire passes through thefinal dies because many serve as a lubricant between the steel of thewire and the steel of the die.

In any event, it has been found that if the coating is salvaged from thefilaments by a device operated in close association with the subjectapparatus 10 the bare wire filaments will be buried within theelastomeric material before any deleterious corrosion can occur. Apreferred method for recovery of the coating metal is by an electrolyticprocess. That is, the coated wires 12 are passed through an electrolyte(FIG. 1) suitable for the particular coating. The coated wires 12 aresuitably connected (by means not shown) to a source of electricalcurrent so as to comprise a plurality of anodes within the electrolyte.A cathode 71 is also immersed within the electrolyte remote from theanodes,

and the current applied to the anode wires 12' is selected in relationto the speed at which the wires 12 pass through the electrolyte in orderto assure that the metallic coating will be completely stripped from thewire. Provision should also be made occasionally to replace the cathodeinasmuch as the plating metal removed from wires 12 will deposit on thecathode 71.

In order to assure that the wire filaments 12 are completely dry beforethey are embedded within the elastomeric body of the fabric 11, it maybe highly desirable to pass them through a heating zone, represented bythe heating lamp 72, after they leave the electrolyte 70.

In any event it should now be apparent that helical reinforcingfilaments embodying the concept of the present invention can be made onnovel apparatus and according to a novel method, either singly or inbundles, for incorporation in an elastomeric body to form a fabrichaving not only improved flexibility and elasticity but also reducedsusceptibility to fatigue.

What is claimed is:

l. A wire forming mechanism comprising, a first, working die plate and afixed die means, said working die plate located in spaced relation withrespect to said fixed die means, said working die plate being movablewith respect to said fixed die means while remaining in constant spacedrelation with respect thereto, at least one bore extending through saidworking die plate and presenting a flared aperture in opposition to saidfixed die means, a bore extending through said working die plate, eachbore in said working die plate being located eccentrically of acorresponding bore in said fixed die means.

2. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 1, in which saidfirst working die plate is mounted on a first cross beam, means mountingsaid cross beam for translation such that the locus of points delineatedby any point on the cross beam during movement thereof describes acircle.

3. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 2, in which themovement of said cross beam is occasioned by at least one, rotating,driving spindle, an adjusting head secured to rotate with said spindle,an eccentric connection securing said cross beam to said adjusting head.

4. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 2, in which a secondcross beam mounts a second working die plate, said second working dieplate also being mounted in spaced relation with respect to said fixeddie means, at least one bore extending through said second working dieplate and presenting a flared aperture in opposition to said fixed diemeans, a bore extending through said fixed die means corresponding toeach bore through said second working die plate, means mounting saidsecond cross beam for translation such that the locus of pointsdelineated by any point on said second cross beam during movementthereof also describes a circle.

5. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 4, in which themovement of said first and second cross beam is occasioned byindividual, rotating driving spindles, an adjusting head is secured toeach said driving spindle, and an eccentric connection secures each saidcross arm to its respective adjusting head.

6. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth In claim 5,

in which means are provided to rotate said driving spindles in oppositedirections.

7. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 5, in which each saidspindle has a rotational axis and said eccentric connection comprises aT-slot in each adjusting head extending transversely of the rotationalaxis of the spindle to which said adjusting head is secured, a keyrotatably supported on said cross beam and slidably received in saidT-slot, means to lock said key in selective eccentricity with respect tothe rotational axis of said spindle.

8. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 6, in which each keyis rotatably supported on its corresponding cross arm by a stud securedto each key and a corresponding bearing mounted on each cross arm, saidstuds being joumaled within the corresponding bearings.

1. A wire forming mechanism comprising, a first, working die plate and afixed die means, said working die plate located in spaced relation withrespect to said fixed die means, said working die plate being movablewith respect to said fixed die means while remaining in constant spacedrelation with respect thereto, at least one bore extending through saidworking die plate and presenting a flared aperture in opposition to saidfixed die means, a bore extending through said working die plate, eachbore in said working die plate being located eccentrically of acorresponding bore in said fixed die means.
 2. A wire forming mechanism,as set forth in claim 1, in which said first working die plate ismounted on a first cross beam, means mounting said cross beam fortranslation such that the locus of points delineated by any point on thecross beam during movement thereof describes a circle.
 3. A wire formingmechanism, as set forth in claim 2, in which the movement of said crossbeam is occasioned by at least one, rotating, driving spindle, anadjusting head secured to rotate with said spindle, an eccentricconnection securing said cross beam to said adjusting head.
 4. A wireforming mechanism, as set forth in claim 2, in which a second cross beammounts a second working die plate, said second working die plate alsobeing mounted in spaced relation with respect to said fixed die means,at least one bore extending through said second working die plate andpresenting a flared aperture in opposition to said fixed die means, abore extending through said fixed die means corresponding to each borethrough said second working die plate, means mounting said second crossbeam for translation such that the locus of points delineated by anypoint on said second cross beam during movement thereof also describes acircle.
 5. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 4, in whichthe movement of said first and second cross beam is occasioned byindividual, rotating driving spindles, an adjusting head is secured toeach said driving spindle, and an eccentric connection secures each saidcross arm to its respective adjusting head.
 6. A wire forming mechanism,as set forth in claim 5, in which means are provided to rotate saiddriving spindles in opposite directions.
 7. A wire forming mechanism, asset forth in claim 5, in which each said spindle has a rotational axisand said eccentric connection comprises a T-slot in each adjusting headextending transversely of the rotational axis of the spindle to whichsaid adjusting head is secured, a key rotatably supported on said crossbeaM and slidably received in said T-slot, means to lock said key inselective eccentricity with respect to the rotational axis of saidspindle.
 8. A wire forming mechanism, as set forth in claim 6, in whicheach key is rotatably supported on its corresponding cross arm by a studsecured to each key and a corresponding bearing mounted on each crossarm, said studs being journaled within the corresponding bearings.